The present invention relates generally to sheet and web dispensers, and more particularly to a portable apparatus for use in dispensing folded and stacked antiseptic, pre-moistened towelettes.
The United States is facing an escalating, global onslaught of infectious diseases of potentially pandemic proportions. Infectious diseases are, already, the leading cause of death world-wide, and the third leading cause of death in the U.S. The portable towelette dispenser apparatus of the present invention, hereinafter BusyBody Travel Buddy(s) (BBTB) is intended for use in the control and prevention of contact transmission of infectious diseases by making frequent and effective hand cleansing feasible, even appealing, despite the pressures and demands of contemporary life. The unique function served by the BBTB apparatus is to extend the functional contexts for application of the LIFEWORKS HAND CLEANSING SYSTEM to provide: xe2x80x9cContagion Control Whenever and Wherever You Go.xe2x80x9d The embodiments of the BBTB presented herein are part of a comprehensive family of product and services intended to influence, provoke and sustain healthy changes in hand washing behavior on behalf of controlling and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. xe2x80x9cThe Power of Prevention is in Our Handsxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94Control and Prevention of Contagion of Infectious Diseases, written by the instant inventor and which is incorporated herein by reference, is considered an integral component of the present invention. It provides discussion about the history and scope of the problem, the frightening infectious disease trends we now face, the remarkably intransigent non-compliance with hand washing mandates for over 150 years, the proposed composition of a broadly germicidal, no-rinse, cleansing lotion which also benefits the skin, and much more about this the LIFEWORKS comprehensive preventive health care model. The BBTB is not intended to replace, but rather augment access to frequent antisepsis, when sink, running warm water, etc. are not available or not easily available. The role of the BBTB in the multi-purpose, systematic, systemic and synergistic whole of the LIFEWORKS HAND CLEANSING SYSTEM is also made clear in the above named document. Excerpts from that document are presented below for a more comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention.
The present invention is intended for use as a portable, hands-free, convenient means of dispensing antiseptic, pre-moistened towelettes in any of a vast array of situations, locations and contexts. In use, the BBTB xe2x80x9cbagsxe2x80x9d can be used/worn/attached in multiple functional configurations, including, not limited to: (1) around an arm, wrist or ankle; (2) around the waist; (3) hung either straight down or across the shoulder; (4) removably attached to convenient object. In particular, these germicidal towelettes are available for use in preventing infection-breaking the cycle of contagion at the most strategically potent window of opportunity, immediately before eating. In addition, the BBTB is intended for use in any situation/place/time that a risk of transmission of infectious pathogens exists. As such the apparatus is intended to function as a convenient, efficient and effective means of preventing contact transmission of infectious diseases.
Although not limited thereto, the most preferred embodiment of the BBTB is made (available) in three sizes: small; medium; and large. These sizes have both over-lapping and discrete (unique) functional applications, as described below. The three models vary only in size and towelette capacity, and are, otherwise, identical. As a result, it is contemplated for the highly adaptable apparatus is to be used as a portable, convenient means of dispensing pre-moistened antiseptic towelettes in any of a multitude of locations/situations, by persons of all ages, except as limited by cognitive or physical conditions. The three sizes contemplated by the most preferred embodiment of the BBTB are:
1) SMALLxe2x80x94The small BBTB is intended, in particular, but not exclusively, for use by children and adolescents, beginning around 2xc2xd years of age through high school and college. In educational settings, such as pre-school, nursery school or the like, where contagion of infectious diseases is notoriously rampant, access to bathrooms is also limited typically. Also, when available, bathrooms are often lacking all necessary ingredients for effective de-contamination of hands. Hot water, for example, is typically unavailable in order to protect children from burning themselves. In addition, when traditional hand washing means are available, young children rarely, if ever, wash and dry their hands such that effective decontamination is achieved. Further, there are multiple contagion risks in any classroom environment. Among young children, one of our four groups most susceptible to contagion, there is plentiful opportunity to spread germs on toys, books and other articles shared by children. Even if a child appears well, they can be in a particularly contagious incubation stage of an illness. As numbers of children in day care increases, so do incidences of infectious diseases. Because of the financial and other pressure on parents, children are commonly returned to day care before they are entirely well (64% of absenteeism from work is due to the need to care for a sick child). Furthermore, infectious diseases have a high transmission rate among household members, leading to further loss of income and productivity. Even if youngsters, in educational settings, use towelettes only for de-contamination before eating, this will significantly diminish the rate of self-inoculation of infectious pathogens, hereby significantly reducing the incidence of infectious diseases among children of all ages. Obviously, the classroom/school is not the only setting where antiseptic hand cleansing is critical for young people. A stop for french fries, during an after-school bike ride, exemplifies the multiple opportunities to xe2x80x9cbreak the cycle of contagionxe2x80x9d made available by the BBTB. Infections most common to this age group, staph and strep, are quickly becoming highly multi-drug resistant. This embodiment is approximately 2xc2xdxe2x80x3xc3x972xc2xexe2x80x3xc3x972xe2x80x3 and holds 15 to 25 towelettes, with sturdily attached strap lengths appropriate for wearing or attachment to convenient objects and appropriate body parts. While specifically designed for the populations mentioned above, this BBTB model can be used by any person, of any age. Strap-ends have four-part cooperative hook and loop (or the like) material, for secure and adjustable fastening to person, clothing, or object such as purse, brief case, grocery cart, wheel chair, walker, bed rail, and much more, for effortless portability or to convenient stationary object. Permanent strap ends can also be fastened securely to pair of adjustable extension straps to secure apparatus around wrist, waist, to hang from shoulder, or other location on or off person. Quick release buckles, along with strap coupler, serve to both release and secure strap extensions at required lengths. For purposes of hand cleansing behavior modification, this size of BBTB, including straps and closure apparatus, provide children with the capability (xe2x80x9cresponsibility/honorxe2x80x9d) of transporting BBTB for the protection other family members, which can serve as a powerful positive reinforcer for disease prevention/contagion control, for children. The small BBTB also provides materials for independent self-care with respect to infectious diseases. Autonomous self-care is reported to be a high health care priority as an inordinate proportion of the health care xe2x80x98billxe2x80x99 goes for care of the elderly. The BBTB is designed for xe2x80x9cContagion Control Wherever You Co.xe2x80x9d and achieves this by making effective and disinfecting and cleaning: convenient, easy, fast, pleasant and difficult to do incorrectly. Young children learn easily, particularly if taught well. A number of pre-school programs have been developed and successfully teach young children how to wash their hands properly and when. Children also tend to be acute watchdogs of parental behavior, particularly if it is unsafe or contradictory to what the child has been told. It is highly likely that young children will become drill sergeants, training other new enlistees. It is critical for both the physical and psychological well-being of our young people that they gain some sense of control over their lives and futures, which, as our world is today, appears rather bleak. By harnessing adolescent energy, we gain enormous strength toward achieving our goals. At the same time, we provide an opportunity to impact systems which appear too over-whelming and entangled to affect. A wise man advised, xe2x80x9cLet the children lead you.xe2x80x9d Adolescents, unanimously xe2x80x9cimmortal,xe2x80x9d are likely to be a more difficult population to influence than younger children. Again, effective tools, education and reinforcement are essential. Also, as will be the case among all population sub-classes (e.g., employees at a particular site) group pressure will be a particularly potent force harnessed on behalf of changing hand cleansing behavior among pre-adolescents and adolescents. As is true of child care settings, the elementary and secondary classrooms are potent breeding grounds of disease. Bathroom access tends to be even more limited than in pre-school, and supplies often inadequate for antiseptic hand cleansing. In addition, few young people are even aware of the rules for safe hand cleansing and/or preventing re-contamination in high pathogen-loaded sites such as bathrooms. Besides, xe2x80x9cMost have better ways to spend their time.xe2x80x9d As one school nurse described, xe2x80x9cDirty tissues are tossed about; pencils go from mouths to friends; food and utensils are shared (along with any pathogen passengers).xe2x80x9d However, absurd this may sound at initially, adolescents actually appreciate rules. They also crave some measure of power in their lives (as is fitting with their developmental tasks) of which little is available. Given proper equipment and training, adolescents can be influence to become avid representatives of the assumption of personal responsibility for one""s own health as well the health of others. The small embodiment of the BBTB is also useful for elderly persons, another of the four population groups most susceptible to infection. Systems are being sought to enhance independent self-care among the elderly. The small BBTB not only serves this function effectively, but will also reduce the excessive health care costs associated with the elderly.
2) MEDIUMxe2x80x94The medium BBTB is intended, in particular, but not exclusively, for use by adults. This embodiment is approximately 8xe2x80x3 longxc3x973xe2x80x3-4xe2x80x3 deep (expandable)xc3x974xe2x80x3 high and holds 40 to 50 towelettes (double by also using disposal compartment for fresh towelettes if fits needs better), with sturdily attached strap lengths appropriate for wearing around the waist, other body parts, or attachment to convenient objects. Strap-ends have four-part cooperative hook and loop (or the like) material, for secure and adjustable fastening around body part, object, etc.; apparatus strap ends can also be fastened securely to pair of adjustable extension straps to secure apparatus around waist, to hang from shoulder, or other location on or off person. Quick release buckles, along with strap coupler, serve to both release and secure strap extensions at required lengths. This BBTB embodiment is specifically intended for, but its use is not limited to, the adolescent/adult population. However, all of the functional applications described above are also applicable to this medium size BBTB. The adult frame can more easily carry the medium and large size BBTB than can small children. In use, parents, for example, can access a sufficient number of towelettes to meet anticipated needs for child (children), and/or self (selves) for: marketing, a day of errands and/or recreation, fast food stop(s), a the work desk. Adults as well as children are constantly touching sources of contact transmission of pathogens. Children are particularly likely to do so, often at every opportunity. Contaminated hands will transmit pathogens to food, to eyes that are rubbed, etc. This apparatus is intended to provide frequent opportunities to xe2x80x9cbreak the cycle of contagionxe2x80x9d by making frequent hand cleansing readily available, fast, easy and efficient. The medium size BBTB approximates the familiar xe2x80x9cfanny packxe2x80x9d in both size and shape, and could be worn around the waist in addition to same. This embodiment is functionally inter-change with the two other BBTB apparatus sizes, with the exception of towelette capacity. The extension straps described for the xe2x80x98around the waistxe2x80x99 model will be available for all three BBTB models. The medium embodiment of the BBTB is perfect for innumerable xe2x80x9cout-of-homexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coutside-of-workxe2x80x9d situations where truly antiseptic hand cleansing is required in order to prevent hand transmission of contagious pathogens. Among these are: drive through fast-food stops, at the market or any other shopping, in the car, workshop, health club, carried in luggage, beach or sports bag, at the park and/or picnics, at the beach, the zoo and/or petting zoos, amusement parks, camping, barbecues, boating, fishing, golfing, other sports as player or viewer, exercising, sun bathing, biking and much more. The BBTB can also be worn in the home as an ever-ready means of convenient antisepsis and/or disinfectant.
3) LARGExe2x80x94The large BBTB is intended, in particular, but not exclusively, for families and large groups. This embodiment is approximately 8xc2xdxe2x80x3xc3x975xe2x80x3xc3x976xe2x80x3 and holds approximately 150 towelettes (double by also using disposal compartment for fresh towelettes if fits needs better), with sturdily attached strap lengths appropriate for attachment to convenient objects. Strap-ends have four-part cooperative hook and loop (or the like) material, for secure and adjustable fastening around the waist, over a shoulder, and attachment to inanimate or mobile objects, etc.; apparatus strap ends can also be fastened securely to pair of adjustable extension straps to secure apparatus in a convenient location readily accessible for use. Quick release buckles, along with strap couplers, serve to both release and secure strap extensions at required lengths. The large BBTB embodiment is specifically intended for, but its use is not limited to, situations likely to require the availability of a larger number of antiseptic towelettes than can be accommodated by small and medium-size BBTB""s, such as many xe2x80x98out-of-homexe2x80x99 situations. It is particularly important that an antiseptic towelette be insulated from the affects of sunlight, moisture, heat, environmental contamination, whether in the car, at a little league game, or on the beach. Design of Large BBTB is identical to Small and Medium Sizes except for its greater depth and related towelette capacity. The large BBTB, as the small and medium size BBTB, is a multi-purpose apparatus. It provides hands-free portability in that it can be worn around the waist, hung from either shoulder, or the like. However, it is specifically intended for placement on or about (including hanging from) a (temporarily) stationary location, thereby conveniently providing a large supply of towelettes when same is required for a particular usage situation. As such, the functional application of the large BBTB embodiment include, but are not limited to use for more than one person; lengthy and/or high pathogen risk activities; to have sufficient number of towlettes conveniently use, e.g. for a full week at the work place; automobile travel -including short trips, day trips and longer travel; recreational events such as- picnic, beach, sporting events, concerts, camping, and the like.
The BBTB provides contagion control and prevention of contact-transmitted infectious diseases (includes food-borne pathogenic microorganisms) by making effective antiseptic hand cleansing conveniently available, fast, easy, pleasant and effective in any setting and/or circumstance. A foremost paradigm shift in this apparatus is to extricate hand washing from its bondage to a sink with running water. THE LIFEWORKS HAND CLEANSING SYSTEM, of which the BBTB is an important component, is replete with systems of behavior modification most likely to achieve this objective of sustained increase in effective decontamination of hands. The foremost purpose/function of the BBTB being to break the cycle of contagion by way of facilitating frequent disinfecting of hands without drying or irritating the skin, as well as multiple other germicidal functions. In conjunction with: 1) the multiple integral behavior modification strategies that produce effortless learning and habit formation; and the education and training included in the LIFEWORKS HAND CLEANSING SYSTEM, the immediate accessibility of the BBTB implements a practical, realistic and universally acceptable system with which to implement education, training, and related reinforcement strategies.
Although the most likely age sectors and methods of xe2x80x98hands-freexe2x80x99 portability are indicated below, all BBTB embodiments are designed to be universally adaptable across the age span beginning around age two.